APPROPRIATE NAME USAGE - DIDACTIC AND CLINICAL INCONGRUITY

Respectful and sensitive name usage during the initial phase of the ph ysician-patient encounter can set the tone for a humanistic doctor-pat ient interaction. In this study, medical students' application of prev ious didactic instruction regarding ''appropriate'' use of names was e valuated in the clinical setting. The typical manner in which physican -teachers role modeled this behavior was also examined. There were 196 patients, 21 physican-teachers, and 16 medical students who completed study questionnaires. The results revealed that medical students did not employ essential concepts of previous instruction regarding name u sage in their interactions with patients. Furthermore, patients' asses sments of the manner in which the majority of physican-teachers addres sed patients was inconsistent with precepts presented in the classroom . To avoid incongruity between didactic and clinical teaching, clinica l faculty must be apprised of the rationale for specific didactic curr icular components and encouraged to role model relevant concepts durin g clinical teaching.